There is no single best personal injury lawyer in El Paso for every case; the right one has handled injuries like yours, will go to trial if needed, and tells you who will work your file. Lovett & Murray Law Firm (formerly Lovett Law Firm), founded in 1999 by Robert L. Lovett and based at 619 Arizona Ave, is one El Paso firm that meets those tests, and this guide shows how to check any firm, including ours.
If you were hurt on Interstate 10, Loop 375 or Zaragoza Road, you have probably already seen the billboards. Search results, television commercials and sponsored listings all promise big results, and very few of them explain how to compare one firm against another. Meanwhile you are dealing with medical bills, missed work and calls from an insurance adjuster.
Choosing the right El Paso personal injury lawyer is one of the most important decisions you will make after an accident. Below is a quick way to check any El Paso lawyer, the questions and red flags that separate substance from marketing, and the plain facts about our firm, so you can hold us to the same standard.
How to check any El Paso personal injury lawyer in 10 minutes
You do not need to take anyone's advertising at face value, ours included. Five quick checks will tell you most of what you need to know before you sign anything.
- Verify the license. Search the lawyer's name in the Find a Lawyer directory of the State Bar of Texas. The profile shows whether the lawyer is eligible to practice in Texas and lists any public disciplinary history. If your injury happened in New Mexico, also check the State Bar of New Mexico's attorney directory.
- Ask who will actually handle your case. The name on the billboard is not always the person who works your file. Ask which attorney will be responsible for your case, who your day-to-day contact will be, and whether that attorney will be the one in the courtroom if the case goes to trial.
- Get the contingency terms in writing. Ask for the fee percentage, whether it changes if a lawsuit is filed or the case goes to trial, and who pays case costs if you lose. A firm that is comfortable with its terms will put them on paper before you sign.
- Ask about trial experience. Ask how many cases the lawyer has personally tried to a jury verdict and when the most recent one was. A vague answer tells you something.
- Read the reviews yourself. Open the firm's Google Business Profile and read the recent reviews, not just the star average. Look for comments about communication, honesty and whether clients knew what was happening with their case.
Experience that matches your case
Not all personal injury lawyers handle the same kinds of cases, and not all experience is equal. A lawyer who mostly handles minor fender benders may not be ready for a crash with an 18-wheeler, where federal trucking safety rules, several defendants and catastrophic injuries are all in play.
When you talk to a lawyer, ask specifically about cases like yours:
- How many cases like mine have you handled in El Paso?
- Have you represented clients with injuries similar to mine?
- Have you dealt with the insurance company involved in my claim?
An experienced attorney has seen the tactics insurance companies use and knows how to answer them. An established firm also works with medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists and economists who can explain your losses to an adjuster or a jury.
Trial experience matters, even if your case settles
Most personal injury cases settle before trial. The ones that settle well usually do so because the insurance company believes the lawyer on the other side is ready and able to go to court.
A lawyer who never tries cases sends a signal that they will take whatever is offered rather than risk a verdict. Insurance adjusters pay attention to which firms settle cheaply and which firms are willing to try cases, and their offers reflect it.
Ask directly:
- How many cases have you taken to a jury verdict?
- Who in your firm actually tries cases?
- Will you take my case to trial if the insurance company refuses a fair settlement?
Local El Paso knowledge
Personal injury cases are handled locally. The courts, defense lawyers and adjusters involved in your claim are often based in El Paso or the surrounding region, and a lawyer who works here every day knows how they operate.
Local knowledge also means knowing the roads. A lawyer who knows the Interstate 10 interchanges near downtown, the traffic on Lee Trevino Drive and the long stretches of Montana Avenue toward Horizon City can picture your crash before you finish describing it. That lawyer also knows how to get crash reports from the El Paso Police Department and records from local hospitals without losing weeks.
A firm that advertises in El Paso but is headquartered somewhere else may not have that ground-level knowledge. Ask where the lawyer handling your case actually works.
How contingency fees work
Reputable personal injury lawyers in El Paso work on a contingency fee. That means:
- You pay nothing upfront
- You pay no hourly fees while the case is open
- The lawyer is paid only if your case is won
- The fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict
The lawyer is paid when you are paid, which lines up their interest with yours. A transparent lawyer will explain the exact terms and put them in writing.
Communication and service in Spanish
One of the most common complaints about personal injury lawyers has nothing to do with legal skill. It is about communication: calls that go unreturned for days and clients who have no idea where their case stands.
During your first conversation, notice:
- Did the firm return your call or message promptly?
- Did the lawyer listen to your story, or rush you through it?
- Will the lawyer personally handle your case, or pass it to someone else?
- How often will you get updates, and from whom?
- Can you work with the team entirely in Spanish if you prefer?
In El Paso, where many families speak both English and Spanish, a bilingual lawyer and staff are not a luxury. Your account of the crash, your medical history and your losses should never get lost in translation.
Red flags to watch for
Walk away, or at least slow down, if you see any of these:
- Guaranteed outcomes. No honest lawyer promises a settlement amount before reviewing your case.
- Pressure to sign immediately. A reputable firm gives you time to decide.
- No trial experience. Insurance companies know which lawyers never go to court.
- Hard to reach before you hire them. It rarely gets easier after you sign.
- Advertising without answers. A large advertising budget is not legal skill. Look past the billboards and ask the questions in this guide.
Questions to ask during your free consultation
A free consultation is your chance to evaluate the lawyer as much as it is the lawyer's chance to evaluate your case. Bring these questions:
- How long have you handled personal injury cases in El Paso?
- Have you handled cases involving my type of injury or accident?
- Will you personally handle my case, or will someone else?
- How many cases have you tried to a verdict?
- What is your honest assessment of my case, including its weak points?
- What is your contingency fee, and does it change at different stages?
- How will you keep me informed?
The answers will tell you whether the firm is the right fit.
How Lovett & Murray measures up
We wrote this guide, so you should check our answers too. Here are the facts about our firm, and each one is something you can verify:
- Founded in 1999 by Robert L. Lovett. The firm was formerly Lovett Law Firm, and the old lovettlawfirm.com address now forwards to this website.
- Main office: 619 Arizona Ave, El Paso, TX 79902, phone 915-757-9999.
- East office: 12102 Montwood Dr Suite C, El Paso, TX 79936, phone 915-995-5683.
- Las Cruces office: 541 North Alameda Blvd, Las Cruces, NM 88005, phone 575-523-5555.
- Robert L. Lovett, founding attorney and owner, has more than 30 years of trial experience. He earned his law degree at Texas Tech University School of Law and is admitted to the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of New Mexico, the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and the United States District Court for the District of New Mexico.
- Russell A. Murray, personal injury attorney and shareholder, joined the firm in 2015. He earned his law degree at Baylor University School of Law and is admitted in Texas and New Mexico.
- Bilingual team that works with clients in English and Spanish.
- Free consultation and no fee unless we win, under a contingency fee agreement.
You can look up Robert L. Lovett and Russell A. Murray in the State Bar of Texas directory the same way you would check any other lawyer. More about the team and the firm's history is on our about page.
If you were hurt in Las Cruces
New Mexico rules differ from Texas rules. New Mexico generally allows three years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit, compared with two years in Texas, and it uses pure comparative fault, so you can still recover if you were partly to blame, reduced by your share. Make sure the lawyer you hire is licensed in New Mexico, and see our Las Cruces personal injury lawyer page for the Las Cruces office and how New Mexico claims work.
By case type
- Car crashes on Mesa Street, Loop 375, Interstate 10 or anywhere else in the county: see our El Paso car accident lawyer page.
- Crashes with 18-wheelers and other commercial trucks: see our El Paso truck accident lawyer page.
Put Lovett & Murray to the test
If you are comparing personal injury lawyers in El Paso, run us through every check in this guide. Lovett & Murray Law Firm was founded in 1999, and Robert L. Lovett has more than 30 years of trial experience. Our bilingual team works with you in English or Spanish, the consultation is free, and you pay no fee unless we win.
Contact Lovett & Murray for a free consultation, or call 915-757-9999. Ask us every question on this page, and judge our answers the same way you would judge anyone else's.
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